A blog by Elim International Missions Director Paul Hudson

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Innocent of others

Innocent of others
Acts 20:26 “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.”
Paul is saying his goodbyes to the Ephesian leaders and he declares his innocence if anything untoward happened to them.
If they suffered for the gospel he had warned them.
If they went through hardship he had told them they would.
If they were put to death he had instructed them not to let go of Jesus.
No one would be able to say Paul had failed in his duty to tell them.
Whenever you move from one job or position to another then the thought may come to you. ‘What will people say about me when I have gone?’
Paul tells the elders no one will be able to blame him for anything after he leaves them.
This statement of confidence is either because he is not bothered about them or because he has discharged all his duties and done what God had told him to do. We will find out which it is tomorrow.
But today, look around you, especially if you are saying goodbye to someone, if anything happens to that person, did you tell them what you needed to tell them? Did you love them? Encourage them? Warn them? If something bad happened to them would a finger be pointed back to you? Could you have done more and said more to prevent tragedy?
Often we think of innocence being connected to our sins before the Heavenly Father. We seek Him through Jesus for His forgiveness. How about your relationships with people, in and out of the Church? Could you have done more? Could you have stopped the prodigals leaving home? Have you taken your opportunities seriously? Are you innocent of people’s lives?
What a tremendous freedom of mind and heart to have!